Florida International University officials were aware of the crack on the pedestrian bridge that collapsed and left at least six dead. Veuer's Maria Mercedes Galuppo has more.
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Six crosses are placed at a makeshift memorial on the Florida International University campus in Miami on March 17, 2018, near the scene of a pedestrian bridge collapse that killed six people on March 15. (AP Photo/Jennifer Kay) ORG XMIT: FLJK101(Photo: Jennifer Kay, AP)

MIAMI — A man who says he was "seriously injured" while riding his bicycle under the pedestrian bridge that collapsed at Florida International University filed the first civil lawsuit Monday in the tragedy that killed six people and injured nine others.

Lawyers representing Marquise Rashaad Hepburn said he was riding to work Thursday when the bridge came down, forcing a car to veer out of the way and slam into him. Matt Morgan, an Orlando attorney representing Hepburn, said lawsuits stemming from the collapse could result in up to $1 billion in damages to victims and their relatives.

Morgan said they filed the lawsuit against FIGG Bridge Engineers, who designed the walkway, Munilla Construction Management, the firm that constructed it, and several others involved in the project.

"It’s a significant loss with significant consequences, and through the discovery process … we’ll be able to put the pieces of this puzzle together," Morgan said.

The lawsuit will seek to answer many of the same questions under investigation by federal and state officials. The National Transportation Safety Board is trying to determine the cause of the accident, and the Miami-Dade Police Department is conducting a separate homicide investigation to determine if anyone should face criminal charges.

One of the focuses of the investigations will be on cracks that appeared on the concrete of the partially completed bridge in the days leading up to the collapse. After workers installed a portion of the bridge March 10, the lead engineer of the project called a state official to warn of cracks that had emerged, but insisted there was no immediate cause for concern.

The engineer, identified by the Florida Department of Transportation as Denney Pate, left a voicemail for a state official who was not in the office and did not hear the message until the day after the collapse. Florida International University said Pate's firm also raised the issue of the cracks during a meeting the morning of the collapse.

Morgan asked how cracks could be visible on the structure without any immediate response. "If there's a crack in the bridge ... why is the motoring public still able to travel under the bridge?" he said.

The state also took a big step Monday when Gov. Rick Scott suspended the payment of $13.6 million in federal funds to the private firms that designed and installed the bridge. In a statement, Scott said the money would be withheld until the NTSB completes its investigation.

"Before another dollar is spent on this bridge, we must know exactly what happened," Scott said.

The lawsuit came the same day that students returned to Florida International University to resume classes following spring break.

Most of the students returned Monday, getting their first glimpse of the accident scene. The few students on campus when the collapse occurred last week wondered how many more people could have been killed if the school, which has about 55,000 students split between several campuses, been in session.

The school held a moment of silence at 1:47 p.m. Monday, marking the time that the bridge fell. School administrators organized a blood drive Tuesday and a vigil Wednesday morning.

A small memorial near the site of the collapse emerged over the weekend, with six wooden crosses hanging alongside a bouquet of flowers. That memorial is expected to grow now that classes have resumed.

"All of FIU mourns," university President Mark Rosenberg said in a video message where he named the six people who died. "We're reminded of the fragility of our lives and the limits of our time here. We have a sense of urgency about getting to the bottom of this accident, and we are cooperating and assisting with authorities. Right now, our focus is on the victims' families and doing everything in our power to comfort and support them."

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Six crosses are placed at a makeshift memorial on the Florida International University campus in Miami on March 17, 2018, near the scene of a pedestrian bridge collapse that killed at least six people on March 15. Jennifer Kay, AP

Recovery operations continue at the site of the collapsed pedestrian bridge that near Florida International University in Miami on March 17 ,2018. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Arthur Holmes Jr. says crews won't leave until all the vehicles that were trapped under the bridge are retrieved. Pedro Portal, Miami Herald, via AP

Joe Smitha of Palm Harbor, Fla., speaks with reporters on March 17, 2018 about his niece, Alexa Duran, whose family has identified her as one of at least six victims of a bridge collapse near the Florida International University campus in the Miami area on March 15. Jennifer Kay, AP

A car is seen stuck under the rubble as law enforcement and members of the National Transportation Safety Board investigate the scene where a pedestrian bridge collapsed a few days after it was built over southwest 8th street allowing people to bypass the busy street to reach Florida International University on March 16, 2018 in Miami. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Vehicles are seen trapped under the collapsed pedestrian bridge that was newly built over southwest 8th street allowing people to bypass the busy street to reach Florida International University on March 15, 2018 in Miami. Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Vehicles are seen trapped under the collapsed pedestrian bridge that was newly built over southwest 8th street allowing people to bypass the busy street to reach Florida International University on March 15, 2018 in Miami. Joe Raedle, Getty Images